Love
by Hand With Wings
Summary: A few short stories involving the Host Club characters. All love stories, of course. Updated: Finally complete! Ch 4, Ritsu gets a decently long conversation with Tetsuya. Ch 5,...some final words.
1. Chapter 1

_My first fanfic! So, please read and comment, and criticize._

_I wrote this sometime along watching the anime, before the last two episodes. Didn't want to publish until I saw the end of the series, just in case, well, something happened. Thankfully, this story still fits in well with the series!_

* * *

It is impossible to guess what Kyouya is thinking when he decides to write. His notebook open in his left hand, his right hand poised with the pen, eyes that watch him see that he is only writing,...something. Nothing more. They do not see him watching them. 

He was standing this way, next to the window, watching the two of them again: Tamaki and Haruhi, Haruhi and Tamaki. Haruhi with her gentle hands folding back the kimonos they had worn that day, Tamaki with his gentle eyes, learning how it was done, failing miserably in folding his own. Haruhi, eventually taking it from him, folding it herself. It was the end of the day, and the customers had all come and gone. Mori and Honey had gone, and those twins,...they had left early for their family's company party.

It was just the three of them, late that afternoon.

Kyouya noticed Haruhi glance at him.

"We have a couple more things left to fold."

"Do you need help?"

"No, I think we'll be fine, if you don't mind waiting for a while longer."

"No, there are some things I still need to do. I don't mind waiting."

And he continued to write, all the while glancing up now and then to look at the two of them, so happy together, folding clothes.

"Tamaki-sempai, you're just making it worse!"

"I'm sorry, Haruhi!"

Silly, as always, Kyouya thought. He felt his heart tighten, and wondered why. In a moment, it was gone.

What was he writing? Oh, yes. Yamamoto Miyako likes red tulips more than roses,...would pay to see Mori in his kendo uniform,...Watanabe Yuki...decided...to...

Not completely aware of what he was doing, he stopped again. His pen traced a thin line over the page, towards his chest. Unconsciously, as though it were under a curse, it stopped at the bottom of the page, slowly outlining the word:

"す..."

"Kyouya, we're done!" Tamaki's cheerful voice announced. Kyouya's hand instinctively snapped the notebook shut, his other hand gracefully throwing the pen into its place in the spine.

"Ah. Let's go, then."

He followed the two of them, closing the door behind as Tamaki, with his arm around Haruhi's shoulders, spat nonsense into her ear about plans for a relaxing picnic in the mountains. He couldn't help noticing, their backs towards him, jackets swaying as they walked: Tamaki, the only person he had come to trust, with Haruhi. Haruhi and Tamaki, Tamaki and Haruhi. He adored them both. Yet, the two of them together,...

He slowed down, confused about it. Still staring forward, but his eyes losing focus, he adored them both...? And yet,...and yet,...

"Kyouya? Are you feeling alright?"

His eyes regained their focus, seeing Tamaki looking back at him. What was it?...

"Kyouya-sempai, what are you thinking about?"

"Hm?...Nothing, really."

No, he...couldn't remember. Shaking his head, he continued to walk forward.


	2. Chapter 2

_After writing that first story, about Kyouya, a received a couple comments about continuing the story. Sadly, I really couldn't think of how I could do that. Fortunately for me, there are so many other characters in Host Club...I didn't even realize I had written a boy x boy story until after I had finished, hmm._

_Well, comments and criticism please!_

* * *

Kaoru and Hikaru were walking home together that day. It wasn't often, now, that they were able to find time alone together anymore. In a way, you could say that it was a sort of curse that came with their newly found popularity at school. It was a long way home, but they preferred to walk together than to call their chauffeur, especially on such nice days. And, like always, the two of them were holding hands, hands that seemed to glow in the golden afternoon sunlight. Hikaru was unusually quiet, Kaoru thought. Perhaps he was thinking about Haruhi again? No, he didn't want to know. But, he was curious. It wasn't often that he couldn't figure out what his brother was thinking about. 

"Hikaru," Kaoru began, not knowing where it would lead him. "Hikaru, what are you thinking about?"

Hikaru smiled at his brother. "Today was great, wasn't it?" He beamed.

"It was great," Kaoru smiled weakly back. He was relieved.

"You had a good thing going back there, fainting whenever a girl touched me."

"It wasn't fainting!"

"Yeah, you were almost fainting."

"And you remembered the response we practiced last night." The twins shared a secret smile. Once in a while they would come up with a complicated new pose together, not often. Most times they made things up as they went along, their minds and bodies being so attuned to each other after a lifetime of being together. But it was the night before a special event. The 3rd Music room was turned into an ancient court overnight, with the entire Host Club transformed into its residing court officials.

Kaoru dramatically swooned again, with a big smile on his face, as Hikaru caught him on cue and pushed him into a telephone pole.

"My brother, the stress is making you weak. You must lie down."

"No, I'm afraid I must continue to work, for our lord, until this exhausting war is over. There is no longer any time to stop and rest. The enemy is approaching--"

"My brother," Hikaru smirked as he spoke, "You cannot expect to properly strategize when your mind needs rest. Come, put yourself in my hands and I will make sure that you forget all else," and he couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. "Damn, you're too fucking serious when you talk!"

"Yeah, and you shove too hard, Hikaru," he said, laughing as he pushed him away.

"Yeah? And how do you want me to shove you? Like this?" Hikaru said, punching his brother's arm.

"Your punch is _weak_, Hikaru!" Kaoru punched him back as hard as he could and ran before Hikaru could hit him.

"Come back here! Kaoru!" Hikaru ran to catch up.

Kaoru laughed as he ran, faster and faster. He knew his brother could never catch up. Besides, he enjoyed being chased by him. It was reassuring, in a way, he thought. Eventually, he decided to be compassionate and slowed down just enough. By then, Hikaru was too tired to punch him properly. He bent over, his hands on his knees, to catch his breath.

"You run like an old man, Hikaru."

"Shut up. You're too fast."

"Haha, old man!"

"Calling me old? We're the same age! And if I'm old, you're just as old." It was a bad comeback, but Hikaru was never good with thinking quickly. Not like his brother.

"Yeah? So we'll both be old, then?"

"Exactly. And we'll be living together, and growing old together." It was how Hikaru had always imagined it would be. He never thought of it any other way.

"What?"

"Something like that." He stood up again.

"Come on, you know we won't be living together forever. We might end up in different places. Like, with our jobs, or something," Kaoru said, trying to rationalize.

Hikaru snorted at his brother. "Nah, we'll always be in the same mansion. We can each take half, then eat dinners together, or something."

"Neither of us can cook, Hikaru."

"Whatever."

"Then you'll need to marry someone who can cook, Hikaru."

Hikaru looked confusedly into Kaoru's warm, sad, smiling face. He stood up straight to face him. "What? Like we're already old enough to get married."

Kaoru simply laughed at him.

They started walking again. The hands of those two brothers were now apart. Kaoru's hands were now hidden in his pockets, while Hikaru's were folded behind his head. With his elbows jutting out against the sky, they gave him the appearance of arrogance. He thought the pose made him look kind of cool.

"Will you get married, Hikaru?" Kaoru said after a while, a bit wistfully.

"Nah, I don't think so," Hikaru replied almost immediately. "You?"

"Hmm,..."

Was it just his imagination? His brother seemed a bit sad, today. In the silence, Hikaru was struck with a sudden realization.

"Ne, Kaoru, you like Haruhi?"

He stared at him.

"Hikaru!"

"What?"

He stared at him.

"I...it's not like that at all."

How could he? Kaoru began to look down at his feet as he walked, to avoid Hikaru's questioning eyes. There was no way of explaining it, but his own eyes became hot and strangely damp. Was it out of frustration? Out of anger? Out of Jealousy? Out of...disgust? He couldn't understand. It wasn't because Hikaru was right; he knew he didn't love Haruhi. It was confusing,...

Then, he thought, what's wrong? What is it, then?


	3. Chapter 3

_It had struck me sometime while writing this story that "Honey" is actually spelled "Hunny" and I was making a serious mistake. However, "Hunny" sounds a bit strange to me (a bit too much like Winnie the Pooh? That doesn't even make sense. Nevermind me.) So "Honey" it is! Anyone who disagrees with my word choice can complain in the Reviews. That being said, anyone who has any comments whatsoever, please leave your reviews!_

_In case anyone wonders, this is still a love story...or at least _I_ think so._

* * *

Honey's eyes watered with delight as his best friend -- or whoever it was -- handed him a big fat piece of cake. Sobbing out his sincerest thank you and beaming his biggest smile, he dug in, savoring the taste of sweet sugar on his tongue. With each successive bite, his appetite grew, and grew, and he had to eat a bit quicker after each mouthful to compensate. Within seconds, the plate was empty and Honey was listless once again. 

"Honey-kun, you eat so quickly!" one of the girls gushed.

"Cake-uuuu," he murmured softly, his chin resting lightly on the edge of his empty plate. His eyes stared aimlessly into space.

"You shouldn't eat so many sweets," Mori said, quietly, as always.

"Takashiiii, you're no fun," Honey replied. "Is there any more cake left? I want another piece!"

Mori was determined to not let Honey eat any more cake. He was certain, no, he had a gut feeling that Honey would become sick again if he had just one more piece. Then it would only be like before... Unfortunately, Honey had quickly discovered the half-eaten cake. It was sitting on a platter just in front of his nose. He pleasantly cut himself half of it and settled back down on his chair, happy once again.

This time, he let Usagi-kun have a taste, too. Some cake stuck to its little mouth and gave it a cute little food-beard.

The entire scene seemed to amuse the girls greatly. Some offered to wipe Usagi-kun's chin with their napkins, while others simply squealed in ecstacy.

Mori sighed, and moved the cake to a farther table in hopes of preventing Honey from eating any more.

"Takashi," Honey cried out, "where's the cake? I want to finish it!" He had already finished his last portion.

"Ah. I think you've had enough," he replied, concerned.

"Mori-sempai, one more piece is alright? Honey can eat one more piece, right?"

"Takashiiii,..."

"Mitsukuni. I don't want you to get sick again," Mori said, wiping some icing off of Honey's round, childlike chin with his thumb. He hoped that Honey would finally understand.

"Takashiiii,..."

The boy was becoming teary-eyed again, sad tears this time. Mori's heart broke, but his mind knew better than to give in. It was already Honey's eighth cake (eighth full cake!) and Mori was afraid that he would get a new stomach ache, or, worse, a new toothache. He knew Honey never brushed his teeth unless he was in his own washroom at home.

In the end, a girl on the verge of crying gave Honey her piece of cake. Then others followed. Honey's tears of misery changed to tears of bliss once again, thanking each girl with his sincerest thank-you and biggest smile. Mori sighed unhappily.

* * *

Mori, out of concern for Honey's health, decided to bring him home earlier than usual to get him to brush his teeth thoroughly. But, poor Haruhi! Honey had apologized to Haruhi, with tears in his eyes, that they wouldn't help fold up the kimonos they both wore that day, and Haruhi had said it was easy enough for her to do. Of course, Honey didn't really want to fold clothes. He had happily heaped his and Mori's into Haruhi's arms before running out the door. Mori then had to apologize to Haruhi again before running out in order to not be left behind.

"Takashi, see? I didn't get sick," Honey proclaimed proudly, once Mori was finally next to him.

"I'm worried," he said. "I don't want you to become sick again."

"Takashiiii, you're no fun. There was more cake, so why didn't you let my finish it? Now it will all go to waste! Pretty cake,..." Honey drifted into a trance. It was such a pretty cake, he thought. He certainly missed it, and what a waste! not being able to eat it. He suddenly felt very frustrated. Why wouldn't Mori ever let him do what he wanted? With downcast eyes and a haunting air around him, he stopped and turned to Mori.

"Takashi, I feel like going home by myself today. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mori's blood ran cold. "Yes, Mitsukuni." He forced himself to stop following Honey. His eyes followed Honey's light, angelic hair, bobbing slightly as he walked towards the school's exit.

Honey was angry, angry, angry! How could he not give him that cake when he asked for it? It wouldn't hurt, it was just a bit more, and now there was wasted cake in the garbage...the Garbage! Children in Africa don't get to eat cake every day,...

His anger soon faded. He thought about Usagi-kun, how Mori had wiped those bits of icing from his face, and he couldn't remain angry any longer.

"Takashiiii!" he cried, running back to his friend. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I'm not mad at you, really! I'm just mad that I couldn't eat any more cake! Please, forget what I said! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Ah," Mori said, relieved. He sighed as he gently wiped the tears from Honey's face. He never understood how the boy could cry so much, at any little thing. "Let's go home, then."

They walked for a bit. Some afternoon sunbeams came in from the wide hallway windows and played gently on their foreheads, making their eyes squint. Mori saw them, playing there, and smiled a little, in one of those rare moments when Honey, too, was quiet. But, soon, Honey thought of something else to say.

"Takashi, do I still need to brush my teeth?"

"Yes, Mitsukuni."

"Takashiiii, you're no fun!"


	4. Chapter 4

_Ha ha. You know, I had this and the last chapter all worked out and written loooong ago! But then I put off editing them, and now...Between studying and working out _Beatrice & Solomon _(on my ficblog. Go read it!) I...FORGOT! Augh. Sorry, sorry. Hope no one really minds. Go ahead, read and review the result of months of (not all) back-breaking hard work._

* * *

"Tetsuya, help me with my homework." 

Kasanoda Ritsu had just swept open the door into Tetsuya's bedroom. His sudden appearance startled the other boy, who, dressed in nothing but a fresh towel, had just come back from a hot shower. He hurridly shut the door again, accidentally shutting himself in the room with him.

"Waka!" he was too startled to think of anything else to say. Ritsu turned pink.

"Erm, maybe you should put on some clothes first or something." He politely turned around. In place of silence, Ritsu heard the frantic rustling of cloth as his friend struggled to get something on before either of them could become too embarassed.

"Yeah, I'm done now," finally Ritsu heard. He turned back again and saw Tetsuya dressed in the usual way, baggy pants and shirt. "You just startled me, that's all," he said.

Ritsu coughed. "So, can you help me with my homework?" he asked him.

"What?... Math?"

"History."

"What? But you're good at that!" Tetsuya exclaimed loudly, a bit surprised. Ritsu scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Can you still help me?"

Tetsuya thought for a bit. "Can't help you," he said. "History's not my thing. Can't memorize anything."

"Just test me, then."

Tetsuya reluctantly complied, taking the textbook from out of Ritsu's hands. Ritsu then sat down on the bed, legs folded, in a sort of meditative pose. Tetsuya opened the book at random and scanned over one page. He then sat beside Ritsu, facing him so that he couldn't see what he was being tested on.

"1820. What happened?"

"What?"

"Exactly."

Ritsu grabbed the book back as Tetsuya laughed. "Bastard. Never become a teacher," he glowered.

"Why're you trying so hard, anyways? Want to become top student all of a sudden, waka?"

Ritsu stared at him with icy, fiery eyes that somehow had no terrorizing effect on his friend at all. But then he felt his face going red and couldn't hold his gaze. The reaction startled Tetsuya, who had never seen him blush in front of him before. He thought of something and found that he couldn't stop smiling.

"It's Fujioka Haruhi," Ritsu said, quietly. "I need to prove I'm good enough for Fujioka Haruhi."

"Haruhi again?" Tetsuya sighed. "It's worrying all of us, you know, you being interested in that guy."

"Fujioka Haruhi's not--" he began, but he remembered that promise he had permanently markered on his arm and decided not to say any more. It hadn't all come off yet, not that he wanted it to. Besides, Tetsuya hadn't finished lecturing him yet.

"Then what about all that time you spend after school in that girl's club? Why don't you study instead?"

Ritsu remained silent, afraid of speaking.

"Oh _I_ know," Tetsuya smiled sneakily, "you can't bear to be away from that special guy of yours? I know..."

Ritsu appeared very uncomfortable on the bed for a second, before he leaned over towards Tetsuya's grinning face and stared intensly. Tetsuya didn't lean back and, instead, matched his gaze with an impish look on his face. Ritsu decided to tell him,...maybe.

"Oi, it's a secret. Can you keep a secret?" he whispered, a pained, fearful look on his face. Tetsuya, sensing the seriousness in his voice, nodded yes. Ritsu leaned closer forwards to be heard.

"There are things I don't know," he began, very quietly, and very slowly, "but, for some reason, Fujioka Haruhi is being held hostage and is forced to work in the Host Club. The entire Host Club has threatened to kill me if I let out, so...just between the two of us. That Ootori demon,..." he shivered. "All I know is that Fujioka Haruhi is a girl forced to do a man's job, and it's for a reason that the Host Club," he shivered again, "--is willing to keep silent. Those Hitachiin freaks,..."

Tetsuya thought for a moment. It was a strange story, but he didn't think Ritsu was creative enough to make it up. So, he decided to believe him, maybe. He shrugged unconvincingly. There have been stranger stories in the world, he thought. At least, then, Ritsu woudn't be gay. He let out a sigh. What a scandal that would have caused.

Seeing Ritsu still mumbling to himself, something about ninjas and swordmasters now, Tetsuya decided to try and say something to cheer him up, something he probably shouldn't have mentioned at all.

"Then, there shouldn't be any problem," he smiled as he spoke. "Why don't you try asking her out?"

Ritsu's face turned white and exhibited a type of fear that Tetsuya had never seen in him before. He studied it carefully. "You don't know," Ritsu whispered hoarsely, "the Host Club is run by a man more terrifying than me."

"Oh, I get the point," he laughed nervously at him, thinking of some way to try and change the topic. "Yeah, so Haruhi's a girl."

Ritsu nodded nervously, some color beginning to return to his cheeks. "I was relieved," he said. "Weird when I didn't know, and I discovered I liked her. So I was relieved to see her...um," and he turned crimson again.

Their faces were very close to each other. Tetsuya barely leaned over to have a better look this blushing face. It turned even brighter red under his gaze. "So you go every day after school to be with her?" He was beginning to understand.

"Ah..." Ritsu seemed to have fully recovered and spoke emphatically all of a sudden. "She turned me down once, maybe because of the Host Club, or maybe because she...likes...someone else. But," his knee jittered rhythmically in emphasis, "I go to see her whenever I can. I feel happy as long as I can be by her side. Nothing else matters as long as I'm with her." Shocked to realize what he was saying, he looked down at his shaking knee, then quickly at Tetsuya embarassed again.

He found Tetsuya leaning back, smiling warmly at the ceiling and dreaming about those words. _Happy as long as I can be... _"That's great."

"You don't have to try and make me feel better about it--"

"No, I really mean it. I would love to find someone to love like that."

"I'm sure," Ritsu responded honestly, "you'll definitely find the perfect girl. Any girl would want you. Heck, if I were a girl,..."

Tetsuya's eyes widened, as if in anticipation. Ritsu noticed, and immediately blushed.

"Don't be gross. I was just illustrating a point. Like I said, any girl would want to have you."

"How so?"

"Well, you can cook."

Tetsuya laughed again, tossing his long, damp hair behind his shoulders as he laughed. "Just because I can cook, huh?" He contemplated the idea, and decided it was a pretty good one. "I hope, then, that we will both be able to find the perfect girl someday," he finally said.

Ritsu was back to normal again. "Bah, I'll definitely beat you to it," he said.

"Yeah, and I'm sure you will," Tetsuya responded sarcastically. "With what? You're striking good looks?"

"Shut up and die, Tetsuya!"

"Yes, waka."

Ritsu mumbled bitterly. Tetsuya continued to laugh. He knew he would never think of finding a girl before his master. And, when the day came that his master brought home the girl he loved, he knew he would graciously step aside, for Her.


	5. Afterword

Ha! That was that, I thought. I had just finished writing the last words of Ritsu's conversation with Tetsuya. Feeling very proud of myself, I leaned back on my chair and met eye-to-eye with the ultimate fangirl. She must have been watching me write the entire time: Renge. Her piercing stare gave me the creeps.

"You're done?!" she squealed. It was not a happy squeal.

"Yes," I said. "Something not right?"

"Something not right? Of COURSE something's not right! What about ME??? Don't I get a happy love story, too?"

I felt kind of awkward, sitting there in front of my computer. I wasn't really thinking of Renge, actually. To me, she just seemed like one of us, adoring fans of the Host Club. It never crossed my mind that she might have a love story, too. Me being stupid, of course. She _is_ a major character in the anime, as I should have remembered.

"Well, um,..." I didn't know what to say.

"Forget it." She began to pout. "You writers are all the same. Some pretty boys get cuddly together and you start to forget that there are _girls_ in a story." Hey! no, that's not all true,...I was feeling a bit offended there.

"So, um, you want me to make something up for you? I can do it quick," I said.

"Don't bother. You're no good of a writer anyways."

Well, excuse me for trying.

"Oh, but you can't say all of it was bad. The sight of those boys pining desperately for each other, so close and yet so far,...Ah!" She sighed blissfully. As much as I was flattered to hear that not-all-of-it-was-bad, what's all this about pining-desperately-for-each-other? I wanted to explain that pining-desperately wasn't really the (entire) point, but it seemed like a waste of time at the moment.

"And why didn't you put a bit more action into that last story? They were sitting on a Bed! You put a Bed into a story and you didn't even use it!"

What? Wait, NO! That's not the point!

"But what about just the sense of it? That these boys are caught in all sorts of different types of love, in ways that none of the others could ever understand. They're confused, and beautiful, and frustrated?" Or something like that. Now that I think about it, that was pretty cheezy, what I said there.

"Hmm." She seemed satisfied with that answer at least. I was relieved.

"Juuust one question," she looked at me evily. "When did Haruhi become a girl?"

Oh no. No, no, no, I am _not_ going to explain that.

* * *

_But this kind of loving, pining and obsessing, makes for a kind of love story, too, doesn't it?_


End file.
